Healthcare Financial Management articles from April 2002

Healthcare Financial Management archives from April 2002

CMS revises 2002 outpatient PPS rates. (Updata).(Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has published a final rule correcting the 2002 hospital outpatient prospective payment system (PPS) rates. Implementation of the 2002 outpatient PPS, which was originally scheduled for...

Ambulance fee schedule final rule contains major changes. (Updata).(Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services publishes rule)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has published the final rule establishing an ambulance provider fee schedule, under which ambulance providers will be paid based on a preestablished fee for each service they provide. The new...

FASB to address certain split-interest agreements of not-for-profit organizations. (Updata).(Financial Accounting Standards Board)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... The FASB issued proposed guidance on obligations of not-for-profit organizations arising from split-interest agreements containing embedded derivatives. Split-interest agreements are trusts or other arrangements under which not-for-profit...

HHS approves plethora of state health program changes. (Updata).(Department of Health and Human Services)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... HHS recently granted approval of numerous changes affecting state health programs. These approvals represent one area in which HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson appears to have begun delivering on his promise to make his department more responsive....

SNF PPS to apply to swing beds. (Updata).(Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issues guide to converion of swing beds to skilled nursing facility prospective payment system)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued a program memorandum (PM A-02-016) describing the conversion of swing beds to the skilled nursing facility (SNF) prospective payment system (PPS). Section 4432(a) of the Balanced...

CMS clarifies ABN policies. (Updata).(Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, advance beneficiary notices)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently issued several clarifications to its policies governing the use of advance beneficiary notices (ABNs). Physicians and other providers no longer are required to use Part B ABN form...

Medicare improper payment rate continues to fall. (Updata).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
April 1, 2002... The HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) has estimated that 6.3 percent of Medicare payments made in FY01, amounting to about $12.1 billion, were improper. This amount represents a 0.5 percent drop in the improper payment rate from FY00 and an...

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) staff has advised HFMA that the prospective payment system (PPS). (In Brief).(prospective payment system for psychiatric hospitals and distinct units will not be ready as scheduled)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) staff has advised HFMA that the prospective payment system (PPS) for psychiatric hospitals and distinct units will not be ready for its planned implementation for cost-reporting periods...

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is soliciting proposals from providers of disease-management services to participate. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is soliciting proposals from providers of disease-management services to participate in a three-year disease-management demonstration project that includes coverage for prescription drugs....

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has published a user's manual for the home health prospective payment system (PPS). (In Brief).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has published a user's manual for the home health prospective payment system (PPS) PC Pricer Software used to calculate expected payment amounts on home health PPS claims or to validate the...

In February, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that it will expand its coverage of positron emission tomography (PET). (In Brief).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... In February, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that it will expand its coverage of positron emission tomography (PET), a noninvasive diagnostic imaging procedure, for treatment of breast cancer and heart disease....

Solving the revenue-cycle problem. (Vantage Point).(Healthcare Financial Management Association meeting)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... I recently participated in a panel discussion of various aspects of the revenue cycle at an HFMA PFS Forum breakfast as part of Region 5's Dixie Institute. I was joined by three HFMA Past National Chairmen: Ronald Anspaugh, FHFMA, senior...

The Enron effect. (View Point).(remedies to prevent bankrupticies like Enron Corp.'s)(Brief Article)(Column)
April 1, 2002... Imagine a scenario in which a corporation undergoes a highly publicized failure, attributed in part to overly complex organizations and transactions and questionable policies regarding the transfer of money among multiple subsidiaries. The...

Moody's outlines top reasons for ratings changes for not-for-profit healthcare segment. (In the News).(Moody's Investors Service)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... The 77 upgrades and downgrades in the not-for-profit healthcare segment in 2001 accounted for almost one-third of all rating actions in the revenue-backed municipal-bond sectors, according to Moody's Investors Service, New York, New York. These...

Drug coverage, uninsured top state agendas in 2001. (In the News).(according to 2001 Survey of Plans from Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Access to affordable prescription-drug coverage and provision of health insurance for uninsured, low-income families topped the agendas of state legislatures in 2001, according to the report State Legislative Health Care and Insurance Issues:...

Patient satisfaction drops after September 11 attacks. (In the News).(patient ratings of health care)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
April 1, 2002... Patient ratings of health care plummeted during the week of the September 11 terrorist attacks, according to Press Ganey Associates, South Bend, Indiana. A study of 108,742 patients discharged from 942 hospitals in 48 states during either the...

www.bcbshealthissues.com/state. (Web Sights).(notice of online reports about healthcare and insurance issues)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... This site has a report about the top healthcare and insurance issues facing state legislatures in 2001.

www.asrt.org. (Web Sights).(American Society of Radiologic Technologists; Workplace Safety issues Survey)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Visitors to this American Society of Radiologic Technologists site will find the report Workplace Safety issues Survey.

www.gha.org. (Web Sights).(Georgia Hospital Association; 2001 manpower survey)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Visitors to this Georgia Hospital Association site will find highlights of the GHA's 2001 manpower survey.

www.kaisernetwork.org/health_cast/hcast_index.cfm. (Web Sights).(Kaiser Family Foundation; HealthCasts available on various health-policy topics)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Visitors to this Kaiser Family Foundation site can access HealthCasts on various health-policy topics.

UnitedHealth Group now largest U.S. health insurer. (In the News).(overtakes Aetna)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
April 1, 2002... UnitedHealth Group, Minneapolis, Minnesota, has overtaken Aetna Inc., Hartford, Connecticut, as the nation's largest health insurance provider in terms of enrollment. UnitedHealth Group's enrollment has grown for the past several consecutive...

Texas makes medicaid overpayments of $40,070. (In the News).(to health maintenance organizations in fiscal year 2000)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... The Texas Department of Human Services made overpayments of $40,070 to HMOs participating in the State of Texas Access Reform Plus (STAR + PLUS) managed care program during FY00. Under the STAR + PLUS program, the Texas department integrates...

Health, life insurers' 2001 profits drop 57 percent. (In the News).(representing more than $11 billion loss)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
April 1, 2002... Health and life insurers' profits declined more than $11 billion, or 57 percent, during the first nine months of 2001, compared with the same period in 2000, according to Weiss Ratings, Inc., Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Similarly, the...

IDS-owned practices still losing money. (In the News).(integrated delivery systems)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
April 1, 2002... Multispecialty medical practices owned by integrated delivery systems (IDSs) lost $89,480 per full-time-equivalent (FTE) physician, on average, in 2000, while practices not owned by IDSs had an average net income of $1,202 per FTE physician,...

HFMA offers new self-paced E-learning opportunities. (HFMA News).(Healthcare Financial Management Association)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... HFMA is offering new Web-based training courses covering healthcare industry topics through its Web site, www.hfma.org. The courses cover more than 1,000 healthcare industry topics and can be purchased either by individuals or as customized...

Sister M. Gerald Hartney is honored by Modern Healthcare. (HFMA News).(Health Care Hall of Fame; American College of Healthcare Executives Congress)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Sister M. Gerald Hartney, CSC, FHFMA, was inducted into Modern Healthcare magazine's Health Care Hall of Fame during the American College of Healthcare Executives Congress in March. The Hall of Fame honors those who have made lifelong...

Bush plan for nation's health meets budget reality. (FYI).(President George W. Bush Medicare plan criticized by Ways and Means chairman)
April 1, 2002... "How do you intend to make up a budget shortfall of well over $100 billion in the next 10 years without cutting payments to Medicare providers?" --Rep. Bill Thomas (R-Calif.), chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, outlining his...

Nelson: Clinical improvements hold key to reducing cost pressures. (Executive Insights).(Interview with William H. Nelson, president of Intermountain Health Care)(Interview)
April 1, 2002... William H. Nelson, MBA, is president of Intermountain Health Care (IHC), an integrated delivery system that includes 22 hospitals, a physician division, and IHC Health Plans, the largest managed care organization in Utah. IHC was selected as...

Practical considerations for conducting effective billing audits. (Business).
April 1, 2002... Healthcare organizations need to ensure that they are in compliance with government regulations, especially with the increased vigilance by the HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) in investigating fraud and abuse. After an OIG audit of claims...

Integrated, automated revenue management for managed care contracts. (Managed Care).
April 1, 2002... Faced with increasing managed care penetration and declining net revenue in recent years, healthcare providers increasingly are emphasizing revenue management To streamline processes and reduce costs in this area, many healthcare providers have...

The Medicaid managed care grievance process: New protections for beneficiaries.
April 1, 2002... Scott Hutchison (a) The Centers for the Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently proposed regulations to enhance protection of the rights of Medicaid menaged care enrollees to appeal decisions made by their managed care plans. The...

ANI PREVIEW [SPECIAL SECTION][INCOMPLETE].
April 1, 2002... and the four specialty certification courses (accounting and finance, financial management of physician practices, managed care, and patient financial services) will be held in the afternoon. The Self-Assessment Session, from 8 AM to 12 PM,...

ANI educational sessions offer diverse learning opportunities. (ANI Preview).
April 1, 2002... The primary goal of HFMA's Annual National Institute is to offer HFMA members and other healthcare professionals a highly focused opportunity to improve their professional skills and knowledge. This goal is evidenced by the ANI's comprehensive...

Recapitalization of outpatient buildings and medical office buildings. (Special Advertising Section).(management of hospital-owned buildings)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Hospitals often are in a quandary when it comes to their real estate holdings. They are in the healthcare delivery business, not the real estate business. Unfortunately, you can't have one without the other. Most hospitals own not only the...

Planning and developing medical office buildings. (Special Advertising Section).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Driven by the need for capital, community hospitals will sell more than 600 million square feet of buildings with a value in excess of $100 billion, according to estimates cited by Robert A. Rosenthal, Pacific Medical Buildings in San Diego,...

Alternative financing offers another source of revenue growth. (Special Advertising Section).(health care providers who own real estate should put it to work financially)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Real estate assets, an often overlooked source of capital, can be used to help grow revenue. Many healthcare providers own real estate with little or no associated debt. This equity can be unlocked and put to work in strategic business...

Successful strategic facility and real estate planning. (Special Advertising Section).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Effective facility asset management, including real estate, plays a large role in ensuring the financial success of a healthcare organization. Strategic facility planning plays a critical role in the long- and short-term success of healthcare...

Optimize APC revenue with process-oriented assessments. (Medicare/Medicaid).(ambulatory patient classifications)
April 1, 2002... To maintain or improve revenue streams under the Medicare outpatient prospective payment system (PPS), healthcare financial managers should use a process-oriented approach to assess the effectiveness of revenue capture in departments most...

CMS establishes new audit requirements, proposes new overpayment rule. (Medicare/Medicaid).(Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services)
April 1, 2002... Two recent publications of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) seem to belie the view that providers can expect to see an easing of their regulatory burden under the Bush Administration. Program memorandum (PM) A-01-141, issued...

Achieving results through accountability management. (Management Issues).(Brief Article)(Column)
April 1, 2002... Management poses some well-known challenges. Managers have to recruit and retain good staff, set and achieve organization and department goals, understand their business, and make others understand their business while doing the best they can...

HIPAA electronic transaction standards: E-commerce or compliance? (Digital Perspectives).(Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... On December 27, 2001, President George W. Bush signed into law the Administrative Simplification Compliance Act, giving certain healthcare organizations until October 2003 to comply with the electronic transaction set and code set standards...

Not all charitable contributions are tax deductible. (Personal Finance).(Brief Article)(Column)
April 1, 2002... The outpouring of charitable donations in the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks shows the caring nature of the American people. The nation's collective grief has made people more aware of others in need--the poor, the suffering,...

Electronic resumes are crucial advancement tools. (Career Development).
April 1, 2002... Senior healthcare financial executives entering today's career marketplace should be adept at preparing and maintaining an electronic resume that can be sent via e-mail and stored electronically for future retrieval. The current appropriateness...

Internal promotions can enhance PFS strategic success. (Patient Financial Services).(patient financial services)
April 1, 2002... Today's patient financial services (PFS) directors frequently face the challenge of selecting and developing new middle managers. Like many PFS directors themselves, the chosen candidate often is a former member of a functional PFS team. This...

Calendar: Spring 2002 seminars.
April 1, 2002... CALENDAR Spring 2002 Seminars Financial Management Level Seminar 4/15-18 San Diego, CA ...

Erin D. Mobley. (People).
April 1, 2002... Erin D. Mobley, CPA (Indiana Pressler Memorial Chapter), has been promoted from staff accountant to senior accountant, Bradley & Associates, Inc., Certified Public Accountants, Indianapolis, Indiana.

David M. Cohn. (People).(Scripps Health)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... David M. Cohn, MHSA (San Diego-Imperial Chapter), is vice president, patient financial services, Scripps Health, San Diego, California. He had been a manager, Arthur Andersen, LLP Los Angeles, California.

Dennis P. Hawkins. (People).(Community Medical Center of Western Illinois Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Dennis P. Hawkins, FHFMA, JD (Southern Illinois Chapter), has been named vice president finance/CFO, Community Medical Center of Western Illinois, Inc., Monmouth, Illinois. He had been senior vice president operations/chief compliance officer,...

Eugene A. (Tony) Fay. (People).
April 1, 2002... Eugene A. (Tony) Fay, FHFMA, MBA, CPA (Alabama Chapter), vice president, government affairs, Province Healthcare Company Brentwood, Tennessee, has been appointed to the HHS Advisory Committee on Regulatory Reform.

Grant L. Glines. (People).(joins Pershing Yoakley and Associates)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Grant L. Glines (Tennessee Chapter) has joined Pershing Yoakley Associates, Knoxville, Tennessee, as a senior in the company's audit and reimbursement department. He had been an audit senior, LeMaster & Daniels, Spokane, Washington.

Frank J. Trembulak. (People).
April 1, 2002... Frank J. Trembulak (Appalachian Chapter of Central Pennsylvania), executive vice president and COO, Geisinger Health System, Danville, Pennsylvania, has been elected chair-elect of the Hospital & Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania,...

Melissa Manuel. (People).
April 1, 2002... Melissa Manuel (Florida Chapter) has been named eastern U.S. marketing manager, Dynamic Resource Management, Tomball, Texas. She had been southeastern regional manager, The Audit Group, Inc., St. Louis, Missouri.

Cheryl A. Atkinson. (People).(named director, Carolinas HealthCare System)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Cheryl A. Atkinson (North Carolina Chapter) has been named director, corporate compliance, Carolinas HealthCare System, Charlotte, North Carolina. She had been manager, Cap Gemini Ernst & Young, Charlotte, North Carolina.

Glass tube replacement costs on the rise. (Data Trends).(medical equipment glass)(Brief Article)(Illustration)(Statistical Data Included)
April 1, 2002... Glass tube replacement costs for healthcare organizations have increased over the past four years, remaining a significant portion of an organization's maintenance budget. An analysis of the replacement costs shows that image intensifiers had...

Managing Ethically: An Executive's Guide. (Bookshelf).(book review)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Edited by Paul B. Hofmann and William A. Nelson Health Administration Press, Chicago, Illinois, 2001 276 pages; $50 Consider the following Scenario: Your healthcare organization has taken every possible step to become more...